Prevalence of gastro intestinal geoparasite associated with contamination of vegetables on sales: A case study of Oyigbo Local Government area of Rivers State Nigeria

The prevalence of gastrointestinal geo-parasite associated with contamination of vegetable on sales in Oyigbo Local Government area of Rivers State was carried out between June and August 2023 using a descriptive and cross-sectional epidemiological method. A total of Two hundred bunches of ten different vegetable varieties were sampled such as Amaranthus spp, Bitter leaf, Water leaf, Fruited Pumpkin, Curry leaf, Cabbage, Garden egg leaf, Tomatoes, Carrot, and Lettuce and purchased from 200 retailers across four major markets (50 retailers per market) within the L.G.A. The markets were classified as rural and urban-based on their geographical locations. Parasitological analysis was carried out using sedimentation and Zinc sulphate flotation methods for the detection of intestinal parasite cyst and ova . Amaranthus spp. vegetable has the highest prevalence of parasitic contamination of 22 (22.0 %) and 39 (39.0 %) in both rural and urban markets and the lowest was Cabbage 5(5.0 %) and 10 (10 %) respectively. Parasite identified in contamination of the vegetables are; Ascaris lumbricoides 20 (20.0 %) and 24(24.0 %), Trichuris trichuras 0(0.0 %) and 24(24.0 %), Enterobius vermicularis 5(5.0 %) and 10(10.0 %), Entamoeba histolitica 27 (27 %), and 27(27.0 %) Girdia intestinalis 7(7.0 %) and 12(12.0 %), Balantidium coli 10 (10.0 %) and 10(10.0 %) and Entamoeba coli 17(17 %) and 12(12.0 % in both rural and urban markets respectively. The result of this study identified a high level of vegetable contamination with intestinal geo-parasite from four different markets in Oyigbo L.G.A which suggests the existence of a higher risk of acquiring intestinal parasite infection via vegetables. Therefore there is a need for an adequate public health enlightenment campaign within the Oyigbo L.G.A. of Rivers State Nigeria with a focus on the prevention and control of infectious parasitic infection associated with vegetable consumption among the inhabitants of the local government area.